Who Should Be TIME's Person of the Year for 2017?

Time ^ | 11/17/2017 | Time Staff

[grayboots]

Since 1927, TIME Magazine has chosen a “Person of the Year,” defined as a person (or people) who has had the most influence over the news in the last 12 months.

In 2016, the Person of the Year was Donald J. Trump, who upended the political world after unexpectedly defeating his Democratic opponent Hillary Clinton to become the President of the United States. The year before, German Chancellor Angela Merkel was named Person of the Year after she led Europe through a series of political and economic crises.

Many of 2017’s biggest headlines were a reflection of the year that preceded it. After President Trump was inaugurated in January, both the U.S. and the world began adjusting to a new administration and a new President who wanted to undo much of his predecessor’s legacy, whether that meant withdrawing from the Paris Climate Agreement or working to revamp the nation’s healthcare system. Warnings from the intelligence community that Russia was attempting to wage an interference campaign in the 2016 election escalated into a major investigation helmed by former FBI Director Robert Mueller; the inquiry has already resulted in indictments against two former Trump campaign officials. In another major news story of 2017, sexual harassment and misconduct allegations against powerful figures like Hollywood mogul Harvey Weinstein and comedian Louis C.K. sparked a long overdue conversation about the treatment of women in the workplace.

TIME’s editors ultimately have jurisdiction over who is deemed Person of the Year — but the reader plays an important role. TIME’s annual Person of the Year poll provides the editors a window into who you think most shaped 2017. This is your chance to cast your vote for who you think had the biggest influence over the news.

[gunsequalfreedom]

It was fun to take the poll and easy. Not cluttered.

The people they selected were really dumb (I should say, it was really dumb the people they selected).

[DoughtyOne]

Art, I think Bannon has really helped to change the political climate to what it is today. Do I give him more credit than Trump? Of course not. None the less, he’s out there beating the bushes so that the public knows Trump is not alone in his beliefs.

That’s very important. It’s why some comedians pay people to sit in their audiences and laugh. It gets the crowd going. This sort of works that way too. It helps to create the impression that many people are buying into Trump’s beliefs. Of course they are, but the media would love to bury that.

Bannon has helped move public opinion in Trump’s favor.

I agree with your mover and shaker (aligned) comment. No, and actress should not be considered, unless she did something that altered the course of the nation’s direction. Then it could be said she deserved the spot.

As for Emma Stone, no. As I said, I think some young kids are participating and choosing her because she is pretty.

Can’t think of any other reason for it.